Core work is important if your core strength and endurance is lacking. An adequately strong core is essential for maintaining economical running form. If your core is the weak link in the kinetic chain everything else goes to hell when it fatigues. That can mean slower times, limited training volume, and/or injuries. The good news is you don't need to do much core work in addition to running to build and maintain sufficient core strength and endurance. You can do more core work without adversely affecting your running if you want to have better general fitness.

I can't stress enough how crucial this is. I started doing machine pilates twice a week back in December with the express purpose of strengthening my core ahead of a marathon. Within about 6 sessions I felt a difference in how I was holding myself while running.

I highly recommend rock climbing as an enjoyable and social way to improve core strength - and upper body strength in general. I'm a climbing instructor and while I haven't received many questions on climbing for running, we tend to recommend running as a great way to shed unnecessary mass and improve overall fitness. The two sports are certainly a good fit. Yoga and pilates are also awesome for core health.

Glues, hips, abs (not just situps/crunches, but also the rotational ab stuffs - laterals?), and back all need a little special work.

Here's what I have to say to convince you as to the necessity of doing it all:

The faster you pump your arms the faster your legs go. Your upper body and lower body are inextricably connected as you run. The only bone that connects your upper body to your lower body is your spine. We must strengthen the muscles surrounding each of our important bones/joints... in this case, that would be the core.

I am well aware of my lack of ability to stay with any kind of an exercise program - so the thought that I would be able (willing) to utilize all six of those listed under the "functional core for runners" fits into the category of "it ain't going to happen". So, if you could pick only two of those in the six set, which ones would you go with? I might be able to develop a minimum amount of discipline to do two.

If you're able to devote hours per week to running yet are looking for the best 2 of 6 exercises to do because you won't spare an additional few minutes per week, core work for you falls into the category of "don't even bother."

If wanting to feel like you're accomplishing something is important to you rather than actually accomplishing anything, why don't you select two different exercises each time you waste a few minutes on your core work? Your question is like asking which two training intensities someone would limit themselves to.

I am well aware of my lack of ability to stay with any kind of an exercise program - so the thought that I would be able (willing) to utilize all six of those listed under the "functional core for runners" fits into the category of "it ain't going to happen". So, if you could pick only two of those in the six set, which ones would you go with? I might be able to develop a minimum amount of discipline to do two.

Did you read the text above the list of exercises? Each one is done for ONE MINUTE. Even doing two sets as written it's not more than a 15-minute commitment.

That said: I don't do the supine leg lift, because I have read elsewhere that it's not recommended because of the stress it places on the spine. I also work the bridge aspect of the leg extension, rather than just extending the leg, and do both bird-dog poses and hydrant poses (leg back, and leg to the side). I start with a set of 10 pushups, then I do each exercise for 1 minute and take 10 seconds to transition between them. For all the exercises other than planks, I hold each pose for 10 seconds and then swap to the other leg, so there are essentially 3 reps per leg. Then I go back to the pushups and do another set. I follow it with one final set of pushups and then I do balance exercises on a dynadisk. The whole thing takes less than 20 minutes. I do this two or three times a week.

If you're able to devote hours per week to running yet are looking for the best 2 of 6 exercises to do because you won't spare an additional few minutes per week, core work for you falls into the category of "don't even bother."

If wanting to feel like you're accomplishing something is important to you rather than actually accomplishing anything, why don't you select two different exercises each time you waste a few minutes on your core work? Your question is like asking which two training intensities someone would limit themselves to.

Hey, what can I say - I have no discipline and dislike exercise for exercise sake. Everything you say makes good sense - but try telling someone who suffers from Ophidiophobia that "it's only a garter snake - it won't hurt you."

It's all a matter of setting a habit. I figure if I can establish the habit of doing a couple of the core exercises then maybe I can move on to more. You wouldn't tell someone just starting to run to run six miles the first time would you?

If you haven't done any core work recently and all you're looking to do is establish a routine in the easiest possible way, start with planks. :30 prone, left side, right side, then repeat for 3 sets. Once you're comfortable doing that just add an exercise or two per week and eventually phase out the planks, which really don't do anything anyway.

If you haven't done any core work recently and all you're looking to do is establish a routine in the easiest possible way, start with planks. :30 prone, left side, right side, then repeat for 3 sets. Once you're comfortable doing that just add an exercise or two per week and eventually phase out the planks, which really don't do anything anyway.

Great - I'll give that a shot. Hopefully I can stick with it for a week or two to get the beginning of a habit going.

I have my first appointment (ever) with a PT on Wednesday to address a nagging groin and lower abdomen pain that I've had for about 9 months. Be interesting to see what sort of regimen they recommend.

If you have trouble exercising for exercise sake (like many of us, esp. me), try working some things into rest of life. Something like farmers walk with buckets of water (fill swimming pool) or gravel (fix trail) can be helpful. (oh, wait, I don't have a swimming pool, but you get the idea)

Functional strength work is called that for a reason.

Enjoy.

You may find your PT gives you some really good stuff to work on. And when it relieves some pain, you'll be happy to be doing those.